Reloadable film cartridge



March 2, 1937. c. E. ROSE 2,072,525

RELOADABLE FILM CAR TRIDG E Filed Aug. 29, 1935 INVENTQR U/zesier E. Rose ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 2, 19 37 v UNITED STATES 2.972.025 aaroananm mar cm'rnmca Chester E. Rose, Parlin,

- N. J assignor to Du Pont Film Manufacturing Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation Delaware Application August 29, 1935, Serial No: 38,474'

. 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a reloadable cartridge for photographic film.

One object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive cartridge that can be readily reloaded and adjusted in a darkroom by the amateur. Another object is to provide a casing that cannot accidentally spring open. Another object is to provide an improved light seal that acts also as a brake to prevent accidental unwinding of the film. Further objects will more plainly appear from the detailed specification and description hereinafter set forth.

While suited for other uses, this invention is particularly advantageous for use in diminutive or so-called Candid Cameras for taking still pictures on 35 mm. film. Increasing numbers ofusers of these cameras not only develop and print their own picture'sbut also hypersensitize their own films, which must be. done a short time before exposure.

user to load and reload his own cartridges in total darkness, which heretofore has been extremely diflicult or impossible with the prior cartridges in which the film is sold. 4

To enable those skilled in the art to use my invention, I will as an illustration describe a. preferred embodiment thereof with the-under standing that modifications may be made with.

out departing from its spirit and scope in its broader aspects.

The accompanying drawing shows diagrammatically in:-::

Figure 1, a perspective view of the assembled cartridge;

Figure 2, an exploded view in perspective of the cartridge including the cap, spool and casing:

Figure 3, a longitudinal cross section taken on I the vertical axis of the cartridge;

Figure 4, a transverse 'section-taken on the line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5, a detail of Figure 3 showing means for removably sealing the cap on the casing. The cartridge comprises a rigid cylindrical cup-shaped casing Ill open at one end and having a longitudinalslotted film guide l5 extending the length of the casing. The slotted film guide i5 is lined on both sides with suitablelight-exeluding material H, such as velvet or felt ribbon.

bottom of the casing has fixed thereto an annular disc 20 of light-excluding material. The

This, of course, requires the The walls of the casing ID are unlined, but the .50

A rigid, cylindrical cup-shaped cap I I has fixed to its underside an annular disc 220! light exeluding material, and is provided with a slotted portion It so that the cap ll may be freely slidably fltted over the casing I0. The top of the cap H is provided with a circular perforation l9 to permit the projection therethrough oi the thumb screw it of the film spool I 2.

The spool l2 comprises the usual hollow shank member with the usual film slits 2i and the usual light seal at each end of the shank, as shown in Figure 3, to prevent the entrance of light through the film slits 2|. The lower portion of the shank is provided with the usual spool key 24 countersunk with respect to the lower flange 22 and adapted to engage the rewind key in the camera (not shown). The upper portion of the shank is provided with a thumb screw it that projects upwardly from the upper flange 2 2. The spool i2 is provided with film retaining end flanges 22 having outwardly projecting ridges It. The

flanges 22 are so spaced apart that theywill is adapted to slidably a into 20 and so that the flange ridges I3 will have a compressing action on and around the discs 20, as shown in Figure 3, thereby forming an improved light seal at both the top and the bottom of the cartridge, and at the same time providing abraking action on the spool flanges 22 that prevents accidental unwinding of thefllm 25 in the cartridge. a I

To assemblethe cartridge the reeled spool I2 is placed in the casing Ill and the film 25 drawn through the guide I5. The cap II is slipped over the open end of the casing I0, permitting the thumb screw l 4 to project through the opening IS. The cap II is then sealed on the casing with the readily removable and resealable adhesive tape 23. When'the cartridge is in the camera, the camera rewind key is engaged with the spool key 24,.and the thumb screw I4 is used to advance or retract and adjust the film and draw it taut against the sprocket in the camera, After exposure" the cartridge may be taken ,to the darkroom, the detachable seal 23 removed. the cap II and thefilm developed.

The cartridge may be readily reloaded in the darkroom with iresh or hypersensitized film in the following manner: A suitable length or mm slipped of! and the reeled spool l2 slipped out of the casing 10 by gripping the thumb screw ll,

25 is engaged-with the spool slitsll and reeled on the spool' it, no paper leader being needed. The reeled spool I2 is slipped into the cylindrical case ill so that the ireeend of the film 25 will slide through the film guide II. The cap II is slipped over the casing l and the cartridge may then be removed to white light, where the replaceable sealing tape 23 may be applied to hold the cap II in place on the casing I II. In working in the darkroom the thumb screw l4 afi'ords readily accessible means for removing and inserting the spool ii in the cartridge.

A wide choice of materials is available for the construction of my invention. Any cheap noniogging sheet metal of sufilcient rigidity to prevent accidentardlstortion or to prevent springing open oi the casing Il may be used, as no cumbersome retaining clamps are necessary with my improved cartridge. Preferred-materials are lacquered brass sheeting, die cast aluminum, rigid cellulose derivative compositions and rigid plastics such as phenolcondensation products of the type known as bakelite or the like. The lining of the slot II and the discs 20 may be of felt, velvet, plush or any other suitable nonlogging, light-excluding compressible fabric. The hereindescribed combined light-sealing and braking action of the flange ridges l3 and the discs Ill make it unnecessary to provide a lining tor the casing I l, which in prior lined devices has a tendency to loosen and Jam the film.

A preferred cartridge structure inexpensive enough to be given away with the purchase of the film may be made, according to my invention, from lacquered brass sheeting 'for the cap ll, casing Ill and spool l2, felt for the annular discs 20, and velvet ribbon for the lining of the slot ll.

While applicant has herein described his novel reloadable cartridge in detail, he does not contemplate limitation thereto but does include all forms and modifications within the language and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

-A light-proof reloadable film cartridge, made of rigid non-logging metal, comprising in combination: a rigid, unlined cylindrical cup-shaped casing provided with a longitudinal co-extensive straight projecting slotted film guide lined with light-excluding material; a single rigid, readily removable and resealable cup-shaped cap adapted to slidably fit over the open end of said casing and said film guide; two annular discs of light-excluding niaterial fixed to the inner side 0! each end of said cartridge; a roll of sensitiud film carried by a spool provided with end flanges adapted to slidably fit into said cartridge and to slidably rotate in light-excluding contact with said discs; outwardly projecting ridges on said flanges adapted to exert sufiicient compression onsaid discs to prevent accidental rotation of said spool; and combined means embodied in said spool for advancing and retracting said film, and for readily removing said spool from said crms'raa a. ROBE. 

